Africa

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Expanded Constituency Workshop (ECW) for East Africa will bring together GEF focal points, focal points from the main Conventions (Biodiversity, Desertification, Climate Change and persistent organic pollutants), representatives from civil society and representatives from the GEF Secretariat and the GEF Agencies to discuss priority issues and share lessons and experiences from the development and implementation of GEF projects and their integration within national policy frameworks. Countries eligible for this ECW are: Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

10 August 2012: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has released a report of the UN Secretary-General on agriculture development and food security, which examines the challenges of achieving food and nutrition security, as well as progress in implementation of sustainable agriculture policies and practices based on the Five Rome Principles for Sustainable Global Food Security.

9 August 2012: The African Water Facility (AWF), through the African Development Bank (AfDB), has awarded a €690,000 grant to support the Kenya Rainwater Association in implementing a pilot programme aimed at increasing drought resilience and climate change adaptation, using integrated rainwater harvesting management (IRHM).

7 August 2012: The African Development Bank (AfDB) has released a report, titled "Unlocking North Africa's Regional Potential Through Regional Integration - Challenges and Opportunities," which highlights opportunities presented by regional integration to promote a new, inclusive and sustainable growth model.

This side event to the 3rd World Forest Week will be an opportunity to: present the outcomes and results of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative (GGWSSI) African Union (AU) Commission projects supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the EU and the Global Mechanism-UN Convention to Combat Desertification (GM-UNCCD) in 13 countries; and showcase the use of landscape and inter-sectoral approaches and partnerships to support the effective planning and implementation of the GGWSI.

5 August 2012: The African Union (AU) has agreed to establish an African Risk Capacity (ARC) Secretariat, a specialized agency to develop an agreement on a pooled risk insurance facility for droughts, floods, earthquakes and cyclones in Africa.

2 August 2012: The UNFCCC Secretariat has launched the Designated National Authority (DNA) Help Desk, which aims to help DNAs in under-represented regions and countries to improve their level of participation in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

2 August 2012: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced the five winners of the World Environment Day (WED) Challenge 2012. UNEP announced winners from Kenya, Colombia, Australia, India and Bangladesh, who will each win a fuel-efficient car.

1 August 2012: As part of its efforts to understand regional research needs and priorities, the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) East Africa Program has developed thematic research groups that will integrate climate risk management, adaptation and mitigation in CCAFS work across East Africa.

August 2012: The Secretariat of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has released issue 4.2/4.3 of UNCCD News. The latest issue features stories on the three winners of the UNCCD's first Land for Life Award.